Graphics Card advice required for new PowerMac

[nomad01]

Hi,

I'm getting a new Powermac shortly but I'm just going to get it with the standard graphics card in it.

However, a friend has asked me if I want to buy his old ATI RADEON 9800 8X AGP with 128Mb and I'm wondering if that is a good upgrade?

From what I've read, it seems like a better card but I'm clueless with graphics cards so can anyone confirm it?

I don't play many games but it's pretty cheap so if it is better, I'll get it.

Thanks
Steve

[greatdevourer]

Is this a PC friend? If so, then the card will require flashing before it does any cool stuff (maybe even before it does anything at all)

[nomad01]

Is this a PC friend? If so, then the card will require flashing before it does any cool stuff (maybe even before it does anything at all)

Hi,

No it is a Mac card. He took it out of his G5 and upgraded to an X850 or X800 I think.

Steve

[macbaseball]

Are you going to buy new, or refurbished/used. If your buying new I would put the money into a ATI 9650 or just save the money. The 9800 won't be any better than the 9600 that comes standard. If you buy refurb/used it would depend on the card, but I would probably just stick with the card that it comes with.

[nomad01]

Are you going to buy new, or refurbished/used. If your buying new I would put the money into a ATI 9650 or just save the money. The 9800 won't be any better than the 9600 that comes standard. If you buy refurb/used it would depend on the card, but I would probably just stick with the card that it comes with.

Oh okay. Thanks. I'm buying new but I don't want to go with the 9650 as all the reports I've read say it actually runs a little slower than the 9600.

Also, www.barefeats.com suggest that the 9800 is a better option but that's a 256Mb Pro Mac Special Edition.

Thanks
Steve

[killmoms]

Are you going to buy new, or refurbished/used. If your buying new I would put the money into a ATI 9650 or just save the money. The 9800 won't be any better than the 9600 that comes standard. If you buy refurb/used it would depend on the card, but I would probably just stick with the card that it comes with.
What are you talking about? Yes, the 9800 will be better than the 9600. It's significantly faster, in fact.

[RGunner]

Deleted, looks like you are buying a G5, misread.

[macbaseball]

What are you talking about? Yes, the 9800 will be better than the 9600. It's significantly faster, in fact.

Sorry I wasn't clear with what I was trying to say. I think that the amount of speed you get for your money isn't significant enough to justify buying it. The 9600 is a perfectly good card for a non-gamer, so why buy the 9800. I wouldn't say it's significantly faster. It's faster, but if you want something that Significantly faster you would buy X850 or 6800, not the 9800. The money would be better spent on RAM or a hard drive. That's just my opinion. Sorry for not paying attenton to what I wrote.

[nomad01]

Sorry I wasn't clear with what I was trying to say. I think that the amount of speed you get for your money isn't significant enough to justify buying it.

Yeah I accept what you're saying.

My friends asking 40 pounds for it so it seemed like a cheapish way to get a bit of a better card in the machine. I wouldn't pay 200+ on a card that was going to make my odd game of doom 3 look better. :-)

Steve

[Lucky736]

I've had both and the 9800 feels significantly faster than the 9600 in almost all aspects, and the 9800 was a 128MB card. If its a deal go for it.

Mike

[supergod]

I don't see any reason to not buy the card. Its a very nice deal there and even if you don't play games you might see an increase in speed with some apps. The only question is what to do with the card that's coming in your machine.